Trailers are used to tow boats, off road vehicles, motorcycles, campers, snowmobiles, and other recreational and work equipment. Generally, the trailer is connected by a tongue to a towing vehicle such as a pickup, truck, sports utility vehicle, or car. The trailer tongue is connected to the towing vehicle by a hitch on the end of the tongue that connects with a matching hitch on the towing vehicle. In this way the trailer and its contents, for example a boat or other equipment, can be towed to a lake, worksite, or campsite for use.
Trailers also have electrical wiring connected to their rear lights and safety equipment. This electrical wiring must be connected, usually by a plug, to the electrical system of the towing vehicle. Such connection permits the towing vehicle to energize the lights and safety equipment of the trailer when it and/or its contents are being towed on roads and highways. In other words, the break lights, backup lights, turn indicators, running lights, and such other safety devices of the trailer are made to operate in accord with the actions of the towing vehicle's own signals and devices.
When the trailer and it contents are not in use they are frequently stored in a garage or other enclosure to protect them from the both elements and theft. Trailer tongues must be of sufficient length to maintain a proper distance between the towing vehicle and the trailer. More specifically, if the trailer tongue is too short, the towing vehicle will not be permitted to affectively turn as the rear of the vehicle binds against the front of the trailer. To permit a desirable turning characteristics, the trailer tongue is typically extended from the body of the trailer.
One problem with the trailer tongues is that they are frequently too long to fit in the garages in which the trailer and its contents are being stored. The trailer may, for example fit in the garage, but the length of the tongue is such that it sticks out from the garage and prevents the garage door from being shut to secure the trailer and its contents.
In view of this, it is useful for trailer tongues to have removable extensions that can be connected to the trailer tongue when the trailer and its contents are being towed and disconnected when the trailer and its contents are in storage, thus shortening the overall length of the trailer and tongue. Another advantage of trailer tongue extensions is that they can be removed when the trailer is at a worksite, campsite, lake, or storage garage to prevent thieves from connecting the trailer to their own vehicles and towing them away. The trailer tongue extension is secured to the trailer tongue by a pin that extends through both the tongue extension and the trailer tongue.
Where a trailer tongue extension system is employed, current systems mandate that the electrical wiring must either bypass, and be manually connected outside of, the extension or have an additional manual connection outside of the tongue at or near the location where the tongue extension fits into the trailer tongue. Such connections expose additional portions of the wiring to the elements and subject them to damage at lake, campsites, or work sites. Further, with an exposed harness it is possible that ground debris such as plants or shrubs may snag the passing harness and un-couple the connectors. In addition, the introduction of multiple sets of connectors introduce more opportunity for connectivity failure, due, for example, to corrosion or improper fitting and bending. And, of course, an operator can forget to connect the wiring once the tongue extension is engaged.
In further addition, should the connection inadvertently separate it is likely that at least one connector and wire harness will drag on the ground as the trailer is towed. Such dragging may quickly result in a connector that is beyond use, a potential dangerous condition for the transport of the trailer as well as costly in time and resources to remedy.
It is also desirable and useful to be able to lock trailer extensions onto the trailer tongue when they are connected and lock them out of a trailer tongue when they are disconnected and not in use. This may be accomplished by a key-operated, spring-biased lock assembly that causes a lock pin to be inserted in a groove or slot in the tongue pin, which is inserted through the trailer tongue and trailer extension. Such locks prevent the tongue from being removed by thieves and prevent thieves or other unauthorized persons from connecting the tongue extension to the trailer tongue when the tongue extension is not connected to, or removed from, the trailer tongue.
However, even with such removal of the trailer tongue extension, the electrical wire harness remains at issue. There may be short pig-tail harness that should be stored as well. In addition, the remaining plug on the trailer, may become fouled with debris during storage. Further, as the plug is fully exposed it provides no additional theft deterrence.
Hence, there is a need for an improved trailer tongue extension assembly which overcomes one or more the drawbacks identified above. The present invention accomplishes this objective.